Manipulating Magnetic Devices with Spin-Orbit Interactions

Professor:Dan Ralph

Project Description: Our group and our collaborators have recently discovered that spin-orbit interactions in materials containing heavy atoms can be utilized to generate current-induced torques in magnetic devices that are orders of magnitude more efficient at manipulating the magnetic orientation compared to using magnetic fields or conventional spin-transfer torques. This has great promise to enabling a new generation of magnetic memory and logic devices. However, the fundamental mechanisms are still under debate, and little is known about what materials might maximize the torques. This project will involve the testing of devices fabricated using different heavy metals and topological insulators to understand and optimize spin-orbit torques on magnetic devices.